R. P. Prosperi - Intorcetta Societatis Jesu Missionarii...

The author – Prospero Intorcetta, born in 1625, a Jesuit and missionary in China where he arrived in 1659, a prominent figure who was entrusted with the office of Vice-Provincial of the Society of Jesus in China, was one of the first to translate Confucius' works into the West. The work – at the time this book was written, a disagreement developed between the Jesuits and the Holy See over the way to spread Christianity in China. For the Jesuits, starting with Matteo Ricci, the best method was to respect Chinese traditions; the ceremonies and rites dedicated to Confucius and to ancestors were, in their view, of eminently political, civil, and social value, not inherently religious or idolatrous in character. Therefore, Intorcetta aims to demonstrate, by making the Confucian texts known, that Chinese converts to Christianity could continue to practice these civil rites without committing sin. Unfortunately, power had quickly shown itself to be very rigid on this issue and had strongly opposed the Jesuits’ practice. This very rare text has great historical and cultural value in the history of Christianity and in the relations between the West and China. The work consists of 318 pages, with the addition of an appendix of 52 pages entitled “Informatio antiquissima de praxis missionari,” and another appendix of 35 pages of epistolary material.

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